Bailey Says Maxwell, Stoinis and Smith Still Have T20I Futures Despite Bangladesh Omission

Australia chair of selectors George Bailey has insisted that the T20I careers of senior stars Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Steven Smith are “not the end of the road” despite the trio being left out of Australia’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh national cricket team.

Australia named a fresh-looking 16-man squad for the three-match series in Bangladesh scheduled for June 17, 19 and 21, with several experienced names missing. Fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been rested ahead of a demanding Test schedule over the next 12 months.

However, the omissions of Maxwell, Stoinis and Smith drew significant attention given all three remain active in T20 cricket and were part of Australia’s recent campaigns.

Bailey clarified that the trio had not been formally dropped but said the selectors were using the current phase to explore younger options following Australia’s disappointing T20 World Cup performance earlier this year.

“It’s not the end of the road,” Bailey said. “I wouldn’t call it dropped per se, but given where we are in the cycle of T20s and on the back of our World Cup result, it’s a good opportunity to have a look at some different players.”

Australia are now beginning preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the home T20 World Cup in 2028, prompting selectors to focus on squad development and role experimentation.

Maxwell, now 37, has struggled for consistency in recent T20 internationals, scoring just one half-century in his last 20 innings. Despite speculation over his future, the allrounder has not indicated any retirement plans and is expected to continue playing domestic and franchise cricket.

Stoinis, who turns 37 later this year, remains one of the most sought-after allrounders on the global T20 circuit and has enjoyed a strong season with Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Smith, meanwhile, continues to push for a return to Australia’s T20 setup and has openly spoken about his ambition to represent the country at the Los Angeles Olympics. The veteran batter enjoyed a prolific campaign in the Big Bash League before producing strong performances in the Pakistan Super League, including a blistering century against Hyderabad Kingsmen.

Selectors, however, view Smith primarily as a T20 opener, where he currently sits behind captain Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head in the pecking order.

The squad overhaul has opened opportunities for emerging players, including allrounder Aaron Hardie, who returns after an impressive PSL campaign with Peshawar Zalmi, where he starred in the final with both bat and ball.

Young spin-bowling allrounder Joel Davies is also in line for his first international appearance following standout performances for Sydney Sixers in the BBL.

Bailey praised Davies’ development and highlighted the importance of nurturing left-arm spin options within Australian cricket.

“I think there’s a high degree of talent there,” Bailey said. “We’re starting to see the fruits of that through his performances in white-ball cricket and the Big Bash.”